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Be a No Bully Manager

Guest post by: Robert Whipple

Article Overview: Bullying is a phrase we are hearing more often these days. The disastrous effects of bullying have actually caused people to kill themselves. But bullying is more pervasive than just in the school yard. Bullying is often practiced by managers who do not realize the process is actually producing results they do not want.

Be a No Bully Manager

As I was having my breakfast today, I was gazing out the window watching some robins chase each other around the back yard. I started thinking of the various animal species and the fact that in every group of animals, there is a certain amount of bullying behavior that goes on. It is a "survival of the fittest" world in the animal kingdom. Maybe that is why we humans exhibit some form of bullying behavior in order to get our way.

Bullying has become a key concept in our society. We see forms of it in every area from the school yard to congress: from the boardroom to the barroom. We know the incredible destructive nature of bullying because all of us have been bullied at some point in our lives, and we know it does not feel good. Some of us have played the role of the bully more than others. Some have it down to a fine art. Unfortunately people in power positions have a greater temptation to use bullying because it is a simple way to obtain compliance. The problem is that in organizations compliance is not going to get the job done.

As I thought about this concept more, it occurred to me that while we are mammals, we have a more developed brain and the power to reason. We should be better off than the animals. If we use that power, we should realize that bullying behavior usually leads to the opposite of what we are really trying to achieve. It may seem like a convenient expedient, but it does not work in the long run.

If you are an elk, you are only thinking of the situation at hand and reacting to a threat to your power or position. You are not thinking longer term about relationships and possible future alliances. That is what separates man from the animal world.

Applying this logic in an organization is pretty simple. Managers who bully their way to get people to do their bidding are really building up resentment and hostility. While this may produce short term results, it works against objectives long term. By taking a kinder approach and following the Golden Rule, managers can achieve more consistent results over the long haul and obtain cooperation from people rather than simple compliance.

So, my breakfast observation for today was that animals have a hard time following the Golden Rule. But we humans have the power to actually modify our behavior to think more strategically and do things that are not only right for now, but right for the long term. I am glad I am not a robin or an elk!

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  Tyrant or Bully?
  7 Reasons Bully Managers Last
  Don't be bullied!
  We’re Both On the Same Side
  “Bully” and the MPAA PR Dilemma
  “Bully” and the MPAA Public Relations Dilemma
  Anger Solutions™ at Work: How to Cope with a Bully Boss
  What To Do When Bullies Win
  Bullying in the Workplace – How to Deal with It
  Can the Bully Become a Leader?
  Bullying and Boundaries
  Wimpy Boss
  Cyberbullying---a Growing Problem
  Bullies At Work
  Stand Up For Yourself
  Bullies At Work: Exceeding Corporate Limits
  Is there some business you don’t want?
  GOSSIP: GOOd NEWS FOR LEADERS

Article Tags: animal kingdom, Bullying, managers, school yard, unfair



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